I'm Lieutenant, a former member of Somalilife and the new edition to this forum. (any former Slifers in?). I thought I'd introduce myself here and maybe break the ice the traditional way: with a joke. So here it goes.
One
Pope, in the Dark
Ages, decreed that all
Jews had to leave
Rome. The Jews did
not want to leave, and
so the Pope challenged
them to a disputation
to prove that they
could remain. No one,
however, wanted the
responsibility... until
the synagogue janitor,
Moishe, volunteered.
As there was nobody
else who wanted to
go, Moishe was given
the task. But because
he knew only Hebrew,
a silent debate was
agreed. The day of the
debate came, and they
went to St. Peter's
Square to sort out the
decision. First the Pope
waved his hand
around his head.
Moishe pointed firmly
at the ground.
The Pope, in some
surprise, held up three
fingers. In response,
Moishe gave him the
middle finger.
The crowd started to
complain, but the
Pope thoughtfully
waved them to be
quiet. He took out a
bottle of wine and a
wafer, holding them
up. Moishe took out an
apple, and held it up.
The Pope, to the
people’s surprise, said,
"I concede. This man is
too good. The Jews
can stay."
Later, the Pope was
asked what the debate
had meant. He
explained, "First, I
showed him the
Heavens, to show that
God is everywhere. He
pointed at the ground
to signify that God is
right here with us. I
showed him three
fingers, for the Trinity.
He reminded me that
there is One God
common to both our
religions. I showed him
wine and a wafer, for
God's forgiveness.
With an apple, he
showed me original
sin. The man was a
master of silent
debate."
In the Jewish corner,
Moishe had the same
question put to him,
and answered, "It was
all nonsense, really.
First, he told me that
this whole town would
be free of Jews. I told
him, Go to Hell! We’re
staying right here!
Then, he told me we
had three days to get
out. I told him just
what I thought of that
proposal." An older
woman asked, "But
what about the part at
the end?" "That?" said
Moishe with a shrug,
"Well, I saw him take
out his lunch, so I took
out mine."
